| Seeing your boat with boat blisters are bad | | | | make it like that soup bowl, and you'll be fine. If |
| enough, but having a large boat blister sometimes | | | | hairs of fiberglass are evident, that's just fine |
| makes you feel devastated. I have seen some | | | | also...again wipe it down with acetone, and let's get |
| boats with a few, but large boat blisters that | | | | ready to continue the repair. |
| seriously go deep into the laminate (fiberglass). All | | | | To get ready, cut circles of fiberglass chopped |
| you can think about is the cost of repair and/or | | | | strand mat to match the bottom flat area, and |
| the impact on the value of your boat or yacht. It | | | | make them larger and larger overlapping the |
| does not matter if you have a powerboat or a | | | | previous layer and going on to the existing |
| sailboat, which means a boat going fast or slow | | | | fiberglass/laminate of the boat. On the last few |
| has no influence on the formation of blisters. You | | | | layers you want to use fiberglass mat, even |
| can look up my other articles on EzineArticles | | | | alternating the two different types. You should |
| about: Boat Bottom Blister Repairs to find out | | | | use a laminating roller to make sure all the air |
| some of the reasons you get these. Even with | | | | bubbles come out once you start with the |
| the large boat blisters, the repair is easy enough. | | | | fiberglass resin and the fiberglass. If your boat |
| Mainly you need only drying time to allow the | | | | blister area is really deep, you may want to do |
| moisture to get out of the laminate. Let's see | | | | part of the repair one day and do the rest the |
| how we can make this repair... | | | | next day. This is just in-case the laminate starts |
| If your boat or yacht is in the northern states | | | | to sag from all the weight of the fiberglass |
| and has been out of the water for the winter | | | | laminate layers and resin. The following day |
| season, that's great. You've had the drying time | | | | continue the procedure, but first start by grinding |
| by being out of the water all those months, only | | | | the area up again, and clean it up with acetone. |
| if you completely opened the boat blister up. If | | | | Now mix your fiberglass resin with the hardener |
| you did not, open it up now and let it drain. On | | | | (read all instructions and cautions on labels of |
| boats that have just come out of the water, do | | | | everything you use), make sure the very bottom |
| the same...open up the boat blister completely. | | | | is roughed up, apply the resin and the first cut-out |
| Don't worry about being neat about it, get it open | | | | of fiberglass you made. Squeeze out all air bubbles |
| and take any loose material out of there, and | | | | and proceed. Turn the fiberglass cloth you are |
| again let it drain. Give it a day or two of draining | | | | using in different directions so the pattern is |
| and use some acetone to clean it up. It might look | | | | different from the one below. Remember to use |
| scary at this point, but don't worry, everything will | | | | the laminate roller to get out the air bubbles which |
| be alright...just let it drain. | | | | are your enemy! As you build up the last few |
| Keep cutting/grinding away the loose material. | | | | fiberglass layers, they should be just about on top |
| You want to end up with sort of an elongated | | | | of the original fiberglass surface. Again, the last |
| soup bowl. Small opening in the bottom and | | | | few layers should right there on the original |
| widens out as you come to the boat bottoms' | | | | surface...and that's about it. Once hardened, you |
| original surface. A 6 or 8 to one ratio is fine, but | | | | may want to use some filler to take out any dips |
| you may need more considering if the damage to | | | | or variations on your final surface. Put on barrier |
| the laminate is be wider. You want to start | | | | coats over the final surface to protect your |
| building your layers of fiberglass (laminate) from | | | | repair from any moisture, and put on your boat |
| the bottom up. I can't stress enough about having | | | | bottom paint. |
| it dried out completely, and you can accelerate | | | | That wasn't that hard... There are many ways to |
| this process by using heat lamps or floodlights. | | | | repair boat blisters, and for more information on |
| You don't want to have the area too warm/hot | | | | Boat Blisters, you can surf the net or just call or |
| that you're drying, just really warm to the touch. | | | | email one of the many service/product |
| Read all instructions and cautions on everything | | | | companies. |
| you use. | | | | By repairing your fiberglass boat blisters on your |
| Once dry, clean with acetone and take your | | | | used boat or used yacht, helps strengthen your |
| grinder with about 36 grit and do a final shaping. It | | | | boat and brings more value to it, whether you |
| does not have to be absolutely perfect, just | | | | have a used powerboat or used sailboat. |